Former landlord gets licence ban

A FORMER Scarborough landlord has been hit with a 10-week pub licence suspension.

Stephen Baker-Davis, who ran a string of venues across the town, was punished after failing to produce his personal licence to Scarborough Magistrates’ Court after a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol.

Baker-Davis, 53, also pleaded guilty to not informing Scarborough Council over his conviction and failing to tell the authority of a change of address.

Mitigating, Franklyn Garvey said Baker-Davis was of “exemplary” character and had previously been in charge of pubs including the West Riding Hotel, the Golden Last, Smiler’s Cafe Bar and the Three Jolly Sailors, in Burniston.

At the time of the three offences, the court heard he was working at The Plough, in Scalby, but was not the licence holder for the premises.

Mr Garvey said: “He is no fly by night in relation to his involvement in the licensing trade.

“He qualified for a licence under Grandfather Rights and there was no requirement that he had to undergo a course in relation to being involved in the trade.

“However, he did a British Institute of Innkeeping course which he need not have done and did it voluntarily and at his own expense.

Mr Garvey said Baker-Davis, who also had connections to the Newlands, the Sun Inn and the Strongwood, had not intentionally set out to deceive authorities, adding the situation had been accentuated by an argument with his former partner.

He said: “This unfortunate occurrence was not by design, it was ignorance and a genuine oversight.

“He was involved at The Plough where he was sharing the premises with his ex-partner at the time.

“She was the licence holder and he had no involvement with the licensing side.

“He was purely involved in the kitchen as a chef.

“There was a domestic row which resulted in him becoming fed up with what was going on.

“An argument started, which was not of his own doing, and he went out to get some fresh air.

“He went to Scalby Mills and during that period of time his ex-partner, a woman scorned, had got in touch with the police and told them to watch out for him.”

After suspending his licence, magistrates also fined Baker-Davis £550 for the three offences and ordered him to pay £120 costs.